As you may be aware, there have been ten known cases of pediculosis (head lice) in 8 classrooms at Estabrook this Autumn. The students in each of these classrooms have been checked and notification was sent home. Unfortunately, I have discovered that sometimes parents are aware of children who have had pediculosis but have chosen not to notify the school for various reasons. I want to encourage all families to notify the school if their child has head lice. The duration of pediculosis can be indefinite if not identified and treated properly.
It is important to remember that head lice do not discriminate. Anyone can be affected. Infestation occurs not as a result of poor hygiene, but simply by contact. This could happen on an airplane, in a movie theatre, while on a vacation, by sharing a batting helmet or a hair brush. As a school community we all want to do our best to reduce the occurrence and spread of pediculosis.
Families who have experienced having pediculosis in their home become concerned when they hear of new cases at school. People begin to panic at the thought of dealing with the time consuming tasks of treating, nit-picking and continual cleaning. Families also experience the inconvenience of having to bring their child to school each morning for five consecutive days after treatment to be checked and found to be nit-free in order to return to the classroom. The identification of nits (eggs from which the lice hatch) and lice (the actual parasite) is a challenge. Once families know what they are looking for, the intervention can begin. Because of this, all families are encouraged to frequently check their children's hair thoroughly. Any changes from the child's normal hair status should make you suspicious. A sudden increase in head scratching, particularly progressive, intense scratching is reason to carefully check. The following descriptions of and information about lice and nits are given to assist in their identification.
LICE- Head lice are six-legged crawling insects which are about the size of a sesame seed. They are small wingless insects that feed on human blood. They cannot hop, jump or fly. Initially when the lice hatch they are clear in color then quickly become reddish-brown after feeding. Lice need human blood in order to survive and will not survive more than 24 hours off the human host. They live approximately 30 days and a female louse may lay up to 100 nits (eggs).
NITS- A nit is a smooth oval structure which is attached to the hair shaft and ranging in color from off-white to brown. They are smaller than the lice and always regular in shape; they are never irregular, fuzzy, or encircling the hair shaft (although the glue that the louse produces may be seen to tightly encircle the hair shaft). The nits are glued at an angle to the side of the hair shaft. Once laid, it takes 7-10 days for the nit to hatch, and another 7-10 days for the female to mature and begin laying her own eggs.
TREATMENT- The object of treatment is to destroy the adult lice and remove all eggs. Treatment consists of applying a medicated shampoo (either over-the-counter or physician prescribed) to kill the lice. The shampoo does not always penetrate the nit case; therefore, a nit may hatch into a louse if all nits are not removed. Following the shampooing, a special fine-toothed comb is used to remove the nits. The comb which has been most effective is the "Licemeister". It is available at Theatre Pharmacy and sometimes at Walgreens. Removing nits by hand is the final step in the process. Careful observation and nit removal under good lighting is necessary after combing. Although it can take time and sometimes be difficult, all nits must be removed to ensure proper treatment. Following nit removal, the child should put on clean clothing. A daily nit check is advisable for at least 10 days following treatment. You may have to repeat shampooing in 7-10 days if there is evidence of new nits or newly hatched lice.
All clothing and bedding must be laundered in hot water and dried in a hot dryer or sealed in a plastic bag for 30 days. Combs, brushes, etc., can be soaked in louse shampoo for 1 hour, or in hot (150 degree) waster for 5-10 minutes. All contaminated areas should be vacuumed including your car and children's car seats. Adhesive style lint brushes are also useful for cleaning upholstered sofas and chairs.
More information regarding pediculosis can be found on the following web sites:
www.headlice.org
http://www.cdc.gov/Ncidod/dpd/parasites/lice/default.htm
Professional nitpickers are also available to help families for a fee. Both parents and students within the Estabrook community have found the following nitpicking services to be helpful.
The Nit-Picker (Helen), 781-449-2283, She comes to the home.
Nit Wits 22 Notre Dame Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02140 617-816-9487 Will see you in their office.